Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "I Thought Of God" (Harp Records, 1964) (LP)
This was the first full album by this bedrock evangelical gospel group, although they had been cutting singles for several years before making their first LP. A prolific country-gospel artist with a deeply rural, fundamentalist orientation, Ernest Carter was placed squarely in the middle of the booming hillbilly gospel scene centered around Cincinnati, which played host to countless Appalachian migrants, including many who came to Ohio looking for factory work, bringing their music with them. Ernest Carter played both guitar and mandolin, and was joined in the Hymn Trio by his brother Frank, along with a shifting cast of musicians, usually much larger than an actual trio. Mr. Carter seems to have started making records around 1962, and cut an unknown number of singles for various indie labels, along with over a half-dozen LPs. The repertoire on this on includes two songs credited to Ernest Carter, the album's first track, "Stop That Train," and a patriotic number called "Great Red, White And Blue," which mirrors his cover of the Elton Britt oldie, "There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere." Also included are gospel tunes from Jimmy Martin, Arthur Smith and others as well as a slew of traditional/public domain material. If you're looking for hillbilly gospel, this is it.
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "This Old Time Religion" (Sounds Of America, 1967) (LP)
This disc includes three Ernest Carter originals: "I'm On My Way Home," "I Was A Child Again," "Land Of Tomorrow," and "Time Out." There are also a couple of Claude Ely songs; Ely's material pops up on several Hymn Trio records, and it seems likely that Ernest Carter associated with Ely when he had his ministry in Ohio.
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "It's The Holy Land Calling" (Seven Iron Records, 1969) (LP)
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "A Bridge To Heaven" (Irma Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Crank)
As on other Hymn Trio records, this includes a wealth of original material from little-known composers... One name I recognized was Edgar Fultz, a Kentuckian who recorded a couple of albums himself, several years later.
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "Peace On Earth" (Melody Records, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Crank & William M. Jones)
The Hymn Trio's original lineup dissolved around 1970, although Mr. Carter seems to have revived the group from time to time, and continued to record for several years after that. As seen in their association with Tommy Crank, the Hymn Trio had real country roots and plenty of twang. The large band behind them on this album included fiddle (Ken Bussell) and pedal steel (Rick Todd) along with bass, drums, piano and guitar. The repertoire for this album included traditional gospel hymns as well as more contemporary southern gospel-style material, and a few tunes from the country field, including songs by Glen Campbell and Marty Robbins.
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "I Met A Man" (Starday/Nashville Records, 19--?) (LP)
His brother Frank joins him on this one, which was manufactured by Starday's custom-press outfit... Also credited is a gal singer named Joyce Blevins, who's spotlighted on a version of "Nobody's Record But Mine"; she may have recorded elsewhere, although I couldn't track down her biography... The album features a mix of traditional material, standards and several originals, including three songs credited to Ernest Carter: "Daughters Of Jerusalem," "King Of My Heart" and a recitation number entitled "A Land." There's also stuff from Brother Claude Ely, the title track by Jody Welsh, and a few tunes dubiously credited to Starday producer William York (who was infamous for "borrowing" other people's copyrights...) Pretty raw and authentic stuff!
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "Status Symbol" (Starday/Nashville Records, 196--?) (LP)
This album features Ernest Carter, his brothers Clifford Carter (pedal steel) and Frank Carter (lead guitar), Frank Carter's wife Loretta, on vocals, as well as bassist Earl Powell, and Stanley Turner on drums. Special billing is given here to Mrs. Carter, who was also in a separate family band called the Vaughn Sisters. The electrification of various instruments is called out in the liner notes; they wanted to make sure you knew they were plugged in and ready to roll!
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "Gospel Country" (Praise Records, 19--?) (LP)
This album came out on a Canadian label, but does not seem to be a reissue of any other albums above. Not sure of the years.
Ernest Carter & The Bluegrass Hymn Trio "Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday" (Pine Tree Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis & William M. Jones)
No surprise here that Ernest Carter found himself working with J. D. Jarvis, another avatar of hillbilly gospel authenticity who was also in the orbit of the Cincinnati/Dayton musical axis... The lineup on this later album includes David Carter (bass and banjo), Ernest Carter (mandolin), Gary Selby (banjo) and Joyce Wright (rhythm guitar).
Ernest Carter & The Bluegrass Hymn Trio "Summer's Gone" (Pine Tree Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by J. D. Jarvis & William M. Jones)
Same basic lineup as above, with with the notable difference that producer J. D. Jarvis also chimes in on guitar. The musicians are: David Carter (bass and banjo), Ernest Carter (mandolin), Kelly Back (guitar), J. D. Jarvis (guitar), Gary Selby (banjo) and Joyce Wright on rhythm guitar...
Ernest Carter & The Hymn Trio "Old Time Religion Is Back In Style" (Nashville Bluegrass Recording Company, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Howard R. May & Rodney Cantrell)
This was a much later release, recorded after Ernest Carter had moved to West Liberty, Kentucky, and his brothers had retired from the "trio." This edition of the band had a much younger lineup, including Geraldine Carter, Mary Carter, Keith Powell (bass), Glenn Fields (flattop guitar), Vernon Lewis (flattop guitar), David Carter (banjo), presumably with the various Carters being related to Mr. Carter, either his children or grandchildren...
Loretta Carter & The Sounds Of Praise "Jesus Watches Over Me" (Gospel Shore Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Frank Carter, Norman Livingstone & Rusty York)
Twangy stuff from southern gospel singer Loretta Carter who previously appeared as a "guest artist" on some records by her brother-in-law, Ernest Carter (above). Her group, Sounds Of Praise, also featured her husband, Frank Carter, who had been a member of Ernest's band, The Hymn Trio, along with several teenagers, including tenor vocalist Ricky Todd, percussionist Donnie Lewis, Gary Selby on banjo and bass, and perhaps most notably, fifteen-year old steel guitarist Kelly Back, who wrote two songs on the album, including the title track. I'm not sure if this was the first record to feature Kelly Back (probably not) but it is certainly one of his earlier recordings; he went on to be a highly prolific session player in Nashville, famously working as a member of the Gaither gospel group, as well as a mid-1980s stint with the Hinsons. The studio group was rounded out by a few ringers from producer Rusty York's usual crew: Junior Bennett on fiddle, Eddie Drake playing lead guitar, and Dumpy Rice on piano. No date on this disc, but it kind of looks mid-to-late 1970s.
Loretta Carter & The Sounds Of Praise "New Horizons For Loretta Carter" (Pyramid International, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Farrar & Gene Miller)
I'm not really sure which of these albums came first (neither has a date) though if I had to guess, this one looks more like an early 'Eighties release. The main band included Ms. Carter and her husband Frank, along with a younger guy, David Carter (on banjo, lead guitar and steel guitar) who I assume was their son... Also included are Lynn Baggett (drums), Anthony Hudgens (piano) and a guy named Keith Whitley singing tenor and playing bass. I strongly doubt this Keith Whitley was the big Nashville country star... but then again, you never know. There are a few Nashville pros filling out the lineup -- Doug Jernigan, Bruce Watkins -- and though this seems to have been recorded in Nashville, the Carters now give their contact address as someplace in Florida... hence the palm trees on the cover? They still had their Appalachian roots intact, however, with songs by Edgar Fultz, Dee Gaskin, Dottie Rambo on here... I suspect Frank and Loretta Carter made a few other albums, but it might take a while to track them down.
Bluegrass gospel bandleader Ernest Carter was born in Kentucky, but like many folks in the region moved across the river to Ohio... For many years he ran a music store n Germantown, hosted a local radio program, and led a searingly authentic gospel group, The Hymn Trio, which was originally founded in the early 1960s along with his brothers, Cliff Carter and Frank Carter, as well as their cousin Denzil Ferguson. The group recorded a solid string of highly-regarded albums before breaking up in the early 'Seventies. Ernest Carter later formed a similar band, The Bluegrass Hymn Trio at decade's end. Here's a quick look at his work...
